Appointment of Vice-Chancellors And The Futility of Ministerial Dictates, By Tsiya Damagun
The unfolding crisis at the University of Abuja is not an isolated incident. It is part of a disturbing pattern of political overreach, disregard for due process, and erosion of institutional autonomy in Nigeria’s university system.
Bayero University Kano (BUK) recently concluded the appointment of Professor Haruna Musa as its new Vice-Chancellor. Professor Musa, with six years as a professor (barely two years ahead of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi), emerged through an internal process — election by the University Congregation, followed by formal ratification by the Governing Council. This reflects the university’s autonomy.
Curiously, despite Professor Musa not meeting the so-called 10-year professorial requirement recently introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Morufu Alausa, no controversy followed his appointment. Not even from the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, who is herself a staff member of BUK. Yet, that same questionable standard was swiftly and selectively enforced at the University of Abuja, triggering a leadership crisis still reverberating across the nation.
The arbitrary removal of Professor Maikudi as Vice-Chancellor, based on an eligibility benchmark with no basis in law, is not only an abuse of office but also a symptom of a deeper national problem. The University of Abuja is not alone. Other universities have similarly fallen victim to unlawful ministerial interference, including the dissolution of governing councils, arbitrary appointments of so called ‘Ag Vice Chancellors’, and the imposition of directives that contradict the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.
Institutions like the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri; Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka; and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), among others, have faced similar turbulence — governing councils removed without following due process, Vice-Chancellors ousted under questionable circumstances, and guidelines imposed that violate university autonomy. What is happening is not mere administrative oversight; it is a systematic assault on the independence of Nigerian universities, driven by short-term interests and disregard for the rule of law.
In the case of the University of Abuja, the situation has been compounded by the illegal appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor from the University of Jos — an outsider imposed on the university community in direct violation of laid down procedures. This action bypasses internal mechanisms, undermines institutional autonomy, and effectively installs a sole administrator, a model explicitly rejected by the Universities Miscellaneous Act.
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Worse still, neither Professor Maikudi nor the members of the dissolved Governing Council have been served formal letters of disengagement — a glaring procedural lapse that reflects the illegitimacy of these actions. Meanwhile, vague press statements and illegal directives have been peddled as policy, despite having no legal foundation. The 10-year rule and the exclusion of Acting Vice-Chancellors from contesting substantive positions are neither part of existing legislation nor university statutes — they are arbitrary creations of personal convenience.
It is also ironic that Dr. Alausa, a medical doctor by profession, considers himself qualified to dictate the affairs of Nigeria’s diverse and complex higher education sector, yet deems an accomplished academic like Professor Maikudi — a lawyer, researcher, Head of Department, Director, Deputy Dean, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and Acting Vice-Chancellor — “unqualified,” to be a Vice Chancellor based on a contrived benchmark.
The University of Abuja is now a symbol of what happens when impunity, illegality, and political arrogance are allowed to fester in our universities. But this crisis is not simply about one university or one Vice-Chancellor. It is about protecting the future of Nigeria’s higher education system and rejecting interference disguised as reform.
Make no mistake: if this dangerous precedent is allowed to stand, more universities will suffer the same fate — destabilised, stripped of autonomy, and reduced to mere extensions of personal power struggles. The integrity of Nigeria’s universities is at stake, and the consequences will be far-reaching.
There is, however, still time to reverse this troubling course. The Minister of Education must recognise that his directives — regardless of intention — cannot override Acts of Parliament. The only sustainable solution lies in respecting due process, upholding university autonomy, and restoring public confidence in academic institutions.
The National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives Committee on University Education, has taken commendable steps by summoning the Minister. The House must insist on compliance with the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, demand the reversal of illegal actions, and safeguard the autonomy of Nigeria’s universities.
This is about defending the integrity of Nigeria’s entire university system. The House of Representatives must act decisively, before more universities fall victim to unlawful interference and before academic excellence gives way to personal expediency.
The stakes are high, but the solution is simple: universities must be governed by law, not by the shifting whims of appointees. Anything less is a disservice to our education system, our students, and the future of Nigeria.
